Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-13


used should keep a copy.
r. Nafier of zchaterer character intended for
publication must, 4tts appearance the same day
Is desired, reach the office not later Than Il
O'Clock noon.
81 No attention pnid 70 Anonymous Letters.
That part of the annual report OF the District
Commissioners which deals with the subject OF
public conveyances ought to receive the earnest
attention Of congress. With perhaps the excep-
ZION offs cheapness no American city of the size
OF washington has a street railway service less
adequate to its needs. The tracks, as the report
shows, and As anyone can see for himself without
being a District Commissioner or an engineer.
are a Disagreement to the highways and a
positive obstruction TO general travel. The rails
stand mp some distance above the level OF
the roadway. the space between them is
paved with eohbestones, and on either out
side of the track there runs strip OF ballasting
blocks OF granite or some similar material. To
rob the very middle OF a street OF several feet of
SPACE that legiimately belongs to it is bad
enough: but IL becomes crying nuisance when,
with pretence Of compensation, the public get
so unsatisfactory service as they do In this city.
The railway companies We're granted their charter
privileges the hypothesis that the citizens were
To have cheap Easy and effective mode OF con-
they are carried in unwarned. half-cieaned- ILL.,
ventilated and otherwise uncomfortable cars, OF
81 slender capacity and so few in number on some
OF the roads as merely to irritate the temper OF
woud-be passengers who spend thirty minutes
waiting on "a street corner for a chance TO ride
fifteen minutes hanging to a platform. On the
two-horse cars the accommodations are poor
enough and On the 'bobtail lines there IS not only
stingy supply of stingy cars, but the passenger
TO
as well "a pay for his place by passing tickets and
change TO and frO because well-to-d0 corpora
ton refuses to hire q conductor.
Here are suggestions for some real reforms. by
whose Inauguration Congress would earn the graf
ftude OF long suffering community. Let the
Commissioners be given full powers i'm the prem
ises 40 thar they can compel the street railway
companies 10 lay less offensive tracks, to put on
better cars and more OF them, to treat their
patrons as the pOssCssors of certain human rights
in short, to do something I'm return for the val
liable franchises given them-and the citizens OF
the District will that honor shall go to those
TO whom honor is due for the change.
--> -1----
Henry Bergh long ago earned his honors as q
lover OF the brute creation. bur, some captious
critics assert at the cost OF more less cruelty TO
the human race. He now proposes to make amends,
and In manner which must meet with the ap-
that the time has come when part, at least, OF
the art treasures hidden away in private collec-
tions should be gathered in some central depoSi-
tory and given to the American people. The
proper site for such myIseuElor temple OF art as
he prefers to call it-wOud, in his opinion, be one
or the hills overlooking Washington. He Is ready
10 head the list OF contributors by bequeethin to
tile proposed temple very valuable work he now
owns.
Undoubtedly, surrounded by sufficient safe
guards, great national permanent art exhibition
would be OF the highest yalue the country. 1t
would inspire native talent, stimulate wholesome
criticism. and. last but not least. furnish sub
stance for retort upon those foreign censors OF
our institutions who complain that America, with
all her wealth. mas galleries like those In Lon
don, Paris, Florence, Rome, Berlin, Dresden,
Munich, and other European Cities. 1t would be
necessary, however, to exercise wise discretion
In separating the chan from the wheat in the null
tltute OF works which would be offered, and not n
Il Tie firmness In excluding that which was deemed
unworthy. The whole matter would have to be
tasea completely out OF politics; but this Is not
Enpracticable Is has been shown In the case OF
the Corcoran gallery.
III the government would provide a suitable
building, there Is no doubt that Mr. Bergh'S pro
JecJ would be taken Up by wealthy citizens all
over the coansrJ and carried through to success
+ would be good Idea, moreover, to make the
1Dundasion OF our national gallery of art the occa-
sion Of new departure In the matter OF hours and
Try the effect OF opening the doors on Sundays and
holidays, so that persons who have to work at
ordinary times could refresh their minds with a
draught OF beauty now and then as well as those
who have abundant leisure every day.
An attempt Was made yesterday in the House to